Caroline County planning panel approves R and R Farms wash‑plant site with landscaping and enforcement condition

Caroline County Planning Commission members approved the final site plan for R and R Farms LLC’s proposed mineral tract and wash plant at 25100 Goldsboro Road during their Sept. 20 meeting, with two conditions: the applicant must submit a revised landscape plan using landscape‑size stock plants, and the county may suspend the mining approval if unpermitted commercial activity is found on the property.

The plan covers about 111 acres at Tax Map 7321, Parcel 66 and would convert one existing on‑site dwelling to an office supporting the extraction operation. Planning staff said the Board of Zoning Appeals had previously approved a special‑use exception and a reduction in the 200‑foot setback requirement after a March public hearing; the commission’s final review followed that BZA action.

Planning staff member Matt Gudinski said the county’s primary technical comment concerned screening: "we feel that it'd be necessary to use landscape size stock material to to screen the facility," because the applicant is not proposing a berm. Engineer Sean Callahan of Land Engineering and applicant representative Roland J. Carbone said the applicant would accept the requirement and that some cedar plantings are already in place.

Commissioners and members of the public discussed truck traffic and routing. Gudinski stated the BZA condition limits outbound movement to "no more than a 100 trucks per day, leaving the site," language that the applicant and neighbors clarified in the meeting as referring to 100 loads per day (which could be served by local trucks making multiple trips). A truck routing plan shown to the panel requires trucks to turn right onto Maryland Route 313 and proceed to Maryland Route 312 except for local deliveries; a required exit sign noting that Eusek County Road is limited to local deliveries was shown.

Resident Harold "Chip" Winters and operator Roland Carbone described existing regional truck patterns and said much of the traffic would use routes already served by other pits. Carbone said the operation would use the same regional truck pool and that his workday runs early and late: "we start at 5 in the morning in the plant, and we run to 9 at night running the plant." He also said truck drivers are scarce and demand for material is high.

Commission discussion noted a prior zoning enforcement issue at the site: an ag building was found to have hosted an unpermitted commercial operation (sale of car parts) and the material was removed. The commission added a second condition that if an unpermitted business is found operating at the farm, county approval of the mining operation may be suspended until the violation is resolved.

Commissioner Lehi Walker moved approval of the final site plan with the two conditions; a second was recorded and the motion carried by voice vote. The panel instructed the applicant to submit the revised landscape plan before the planning director issues written notice of final site‑plan approval; county permits must still be obtained before work begins.

The planning office will verify the revised landscaping plan and monitor compliance; staff said the sign and truck‑routing details will be included on the approved plan set. Construction may begin after the applicant secures required county permits and the planning director issues final written approval.